Fabric-cutting machine



. 1,567,099 l; APPELBAUM FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE D ec. 29, 1925.

original Filed Dec. 14,1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 29,1925. 1,567,099 l. APPELBAUM FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE original Filed Dec. 14,1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNlTED ASTATES FTENT GFFICE.

ISAAC AFFELBAUM, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FABRIC-GUTTING MACHINE.

Original application iiled December 14, 1922, Serial No. 606,773. Divided and this application file d August 1S, 1925.

T 0 ZZ ywhomz't may concerne' Be it known that I, ISAAC APPELBAUM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Fabric-Cutting Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel fabric or cloth cutting machine and more respecially to machines of the reciprocating type, for cutting' piled fabric, and including a novel construction of cutting blade or knife and a mounting therefor, this application being a division of my copending application bearing the Serial Number 606,773 filed December 14, 1922.

The invention further comprehends or consists of a novel construction in a blade mounting, whereby the blade is steadied and positively guided in its movements to accurately cut the cloth or other fabric in piles; to render the blade reversible in use and to relieve the blade of longitudinal and lateral stresses to which it is subjectedduring the cutting action, and to compensate for inaccuracies or imperfections in the blade, especially where the same or its cutting edge or edges are not true, but are wavy or irregular, resulting particularly from the thin character of the blades.

The invention consists further of novel means for cleaning out a vertically extending guide channel in the guide standard of the machine between the cheeks of which, the knife or blade reciprocates up and down, so as effectively to prevent any binding due to the splaying out and disintegration of the material during the cutting action, entering the guide channel, in addition to preventing the breaking of or injury to the blade and ensuring the free working thereof at all times.

A further object of the invention is to protect the inoperative cutting edge of the blade while the machine is in use, so that there will be no dulling or straining, and whereby an effective cutting action will be produced when the blade is reversed.'

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings, a form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since it will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the variserial No. 50,892.

ous instruinentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise 'arrangement and organization ot these instrunientalitics as herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings Figure l represents a side elevation of the lower portion of a fabric cutting machine constructcd in accordance with and en'lbodying my novel invention.

Figure 2 represents a vertical section thereof.

Figure 53 represents a fragmentary, bottom plan view of the slide foot and channel of the machine.

Figure 4 represents a side elevation of the blade.

Figure 5 represents a perspective view of a guide plate employed in connection with the blade and guide channel.

Figure 6 represents a horizontal section on line 6 6 of Figure 2, and showing the guide plate in one position.

Figure 7 represents a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the guide plate in another or reversed position.

Figure 8 represents a vertical section similar to Figure 2, but showing in conjunction therewith a novel form of transversely Ivieldahle or oating head to which the blade is connected.

Figure 9 represents a vertical, sectional view taken on section line 9 9 of Figure 8.

Figure l0 represents a horizontal, sectional view on section line lO--lO of Figure 8.

Figure ll represents a dis-assembled perspective view, showing the slidable mounting and head of the blade.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts, l1 designates the lower portion of the frame or motor of a fabric cutting machine of the reciprocating blade type, having a bracket 2 provided with a relatively narrow vertical guide standard 3 divided at one edge to provide a blade retaining slot or runway 4, communicating with a guide channel 5, in which blade slot and guide channel, a blade 6 is adapted to reciprocate.

The blade 6 is positioned so that one of its cutting edges 7 projects from the forward edge of the standard 3, above which the vertical, slidable mounting 8, driven from the motor in the usual way, is adapted to reciprocate in alignment with saidv standard and the blade-runway 4 and guide channel 5 which extend longitudinally of and within the standard. The slide or mounting 8 1s provided with a head 9 designed to move therewith, and this head projects outwardly in a horizontal position, supported between the two spaced or bifurcated jaws of the mounting 8 and receiving a horizontal pin 11 on which the head is allowed slight lateral play` iereinafter referred to as floating. The aperture 12 in the head 9 is slightly larger than the pin.-

The head 9 is further provided with a vrigid and integral depending jaw 13, while a removable jaw.14 cooperates with the jaw 13 and has a threaded shank 15 designed to enter an aperture 16 in the rigid jaw 13 and a pin 17 to enter a hole 18 to retain the separable or detachable jaw 14 against pivotal movement, The opposing faces of the jaws 14 are roughened or knurled as indicated at 19, so that when the threaded shank 15 is inserted in the aperture 16 to bring the jaws together in assembled relation, a nut or other fastening device 2O may be mounted thereon to lirmly clamp the upper end of the blade (i, ina manner shown in Figures 8 and 9. i

As before stated, the blade 6 is adapted to reciprocate in the guide channel 5 and lade-runway 4. and is provided with opposed longitudinal cutting edges 7 and also provided with cutting edges 21 at its opposite ends. designed to eifectively sever the top and bottom layers of the fabric as the machine is advanced along the marks of the piles of fabrics during the cutting action.

vrlhe blade 6 is provided at spaced points from each end with rectangular or other' polygonal openings 22, pairs of such open-` ings being arranged adjacent but in spaced relation to the cutting edges 7, and these openings are designed to receive rectangular projections 28 extending from one face of a guide plate 24. The guide plate 24 has a ilange 25 along its rear edge and when the projections 23 are inserted in the openings 22 of the blade adjacent either one of the cutting edges, in the manner shown particularly in Figure 2 of the drawings, the plate may be inserted in the slot 4, and the guide plate 23 will be accommodated in the channel 5, against the back portion 26, which serves as a reinforcement and wear member at the bight-portion of the standard channel. The front edge of the guide plate is in spaced relationship to the front of the channel 5 as indicated at 27, thus preventing wear on that edge of the guide plate and the adj acent wall of the channel, but the guide plate lits against one inner side face of the channel soas to render it possible to thoroughly lubricate the working parts and positively guide the plate in its reciprocating movements in the channel or runway.

ln addition, the ends of the guide plate 'are cut square and substantially forno shearing edges which will cut or clear the channel of all foreign matter, splayed out fabric or disintegrated parts thereof, suoli as would be likely to cause a binding action and restrain the plate from working'v freely in the channel, thus preventing the breaking, bending or mutilation of the blades.

The blades, in practice are made of relatively thin material and the cutting edges are often irregular or tortuous and therefore the guide means will serve to positively direct the movements of the blade to accurately cut the cloth or other fabric as the machine is advanced across a table on which the cloth is placed, through the instrumentality of a base 28, to which the lower end of the standard 3 is secured through the medium of the usual foot 29 and which is provided with a recess 30 receiving the lower end of the limb, as is clearly seen in Figure 8 of the drawing.

It may also be stated that the. lower end of the blade moves into the foot on its downward stroke in cutting through the fabric, when the cutting edges 21 at the lower ends of the blade is particularljT efective in use, the lower portions only of the cutting` edges 7 are active to cut the cloth and consequently the wear is mainly on these portions, but by reason of the construction of the blade as shown and described, a reversible double edged blade with four cutting portions is provided, thereby augmenting thelife and usefulness of the blade.

This is especially due to the fact that the blade can be reversed in respect to its cutting edges and also inv -rted with respect to its cutting edges 2lv at its ends,

Furthermore, by reason of the clamping device including the jaws 18 and 14 and the floating or transversely movable head 9, which compensates for inaccuracies of the cutting edges of the blades, it is unnecessary to provide openings at the ends of the blades to secure it in position for reciprocation, that` is to connect it to the driving means Vthrough the medium of the clamping head.

T his not only make-s the construction more economical, but provides a blade having imperforate ends which are disposed at right angles to the longitudinal cutting edges, thereby greatly facilitating the manufacture of the blades.

The guide plate 24 may be reversed in position in the manner shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings,` so that the flat portion or body of the guide plate, as indicated at 3l, is d'iposed in contact with both inner' faces of the channels 5, thus cleaning both sides of the channel and tending further to prevent any clogging thereof or collection of gummy or foreign matter upon the inner faces of the channel. y

From the construction above described, it will be seen that as the blade is reciprocated, it will be positively guided in its movements, whereby its cutting edges will always work in a direct vertical plane perpendicular to the pile of fabric. and the possibility7 of the blade shifting at an angle either laterally or inwardly is positively prevented by the guide 24, owing to its manner in which the blade is connected to the reciprocating slide, through a floating clamp head. Since the head 9 is allowed a slight lateral play, all angular stresses are eliminted by the transverse or lateral yielding movement of the head between the bifurcated jaws 10 and on the pin 11.

It may also be stated that the aperture 12 is preferably of circular cross section and allows a slight pivotal movement of the head 9 about a. vertical axis. so as to elimi- .nate all torsional stresses or strain which would otherwise tend to break or bend the blade.

As seen particularly in Figure 11 of the drawings, the head 9 is substantially I-shaped in vertical section, thus providing top and bottom iianges 32 to engage above and below the bifurcated jaws or plates 10 and thus to form a firm connection in a vertical direction, between the floating' head 9 and the slide member 8, formed integrally with said bifurcated jaws 10, while allowing' the necessary universal yielding movements of the head for the purposes above specified,

In the use of the device, the upper end of the blade is inserted between the clamp jaws 13 and 14, after the application of the guide plate 24 and the insertion of the blade together with the `guide plate into the slot 4 and the channel 5. The nut 20 is then turned to clamp the blade between the clamp jaws, the knurled faces 19 firmly holding the blade in position. Owing to the slidable mounting of the blade, it will be positively guided in a vertical line so as to give accu rate cutting action, and yet, undue stresses to which the blade is subjected in use, both laterally and horizontally, as well as inwardly and longitudinally, will be compensated for by the shift-ing or floating on its mounting, and thus breakingor injury to the blade is prevented.

It will now be apparent that I have de vised a novel and useful construction in a fabric cutting machine which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of theinvention and the above description. and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that such exrbodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departingr from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacril ficing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Iletters Patent is z- 1. In a fabric cutting machine, a blade, a retainer slot for the blade, a guide channel, a guide plate rigid with the blade and operating in said channel. to direct the movements of the blade in a straight line, a slidablc mounting adapted to be reciprocated, and a transversely yieldable head on the mounting having j aws for connection with one end of the blade.

2. The combination in a fabric cutting machine, of a standard, a guide channel in said standard, a vertically reciprocable inember, a head mounted thereon for transverse displacement, said hea d being provided with clamping aws.

3. The con'ibination with a sliding part of a fabric cutting machine; of a head mounted thereon for angular movements and having clamping jaws, a guide channel, a blade having a guiding plate adapted to move rigidly therewith in the guide channel, and means for connecting the blade be tween the jaws of the head.

4L. The combination of a. slidable mounting of a fabric cutting machine having spaced jaws; of a head positioned between the jaws for transverse vertical movement and having top and bottom flanges engaging the jaws to permit lateral` circular movements thereof, and means on the head to connect the end of a cutting blade thereto.

5. The combination with the guide channel of a fabric cutting machine having a slot for receiving a cutting blade, a cutting blade in the slot, and a guide plate detachably associated with and contacting against one face of the blade, said guide plate fitting in the channel to remove foreign mattei' therefrom and positively guide the movements of the blade.

6. In a fabric cutting machine, a blade, a 'guide way and a retainer for said blade, said blade having a plurality of openings therein. ya guide member having polygonal corner projections engaging` the openings and a flange in the back of the blade, the blade and guide being movable in the guideway, andL a slide head having clamping jaws, between which the blade is firmly held to connect the two, said head being adapted to yield in horizontal plane, laterally, forwardly and backwardly.

'i'. In a fabric cutting machine,` a brackethaving a blade runway therein, a guide channel in the rear portion of the wall of said bracket in communication with said runway, a blade slidably occupying said runway, said blade having a double cutting edge and a central apertured portion, a guide member` mounted intermediately on the blade and occupying said channel intermediate ot the ends of the channel, said guide member engaging the central apertured portion ot' said blade runway and blade, and means on the machine connected with the blade for recinrocating the latter.

8. In a cloth cutting machine, a slide, means to reciprocate said slide, a clamping head mounted on said slide and adapted 'for transverse movement relative to said slide.

9. In a Jfabric cutting` machine, a slide, a biturcated bracket carried rigidly thereby,

a head mounted in the bifurcation of said bracket, having upper and lower flanges engaging said bracket in a vertical direction to permit the transverse movement thereof relative to said bracket, means common to said bifurcated bracket and said head for securing the latter to the former in a yieldable manner, and a clamp carried by said head.

10. In a fabric cutting machine, a standard, a slide in alignment. with the same adapted to be reciprocated, and a clamping head mounted upon said slide and yield-able transversely thereof. l

ll. In a abriccutting machine. a standard, a blade runway extending longitudinally thereof, a slide in alignment therewith and adapted to be reciprocated, and a transversely yieldable clamp head mounted'upon said slide.

l2. In a fabric cutting machine, a standard, a blade runway extending longitudinally thereof, a guide-channel in said standard extending longitudinally and communieating with said runway, a reciprocable member in alignment with said standard, a clamp head mounted upon said reciprocable member and yieldable transversely thereof, a blade slidably mounted in said runway, a guide member in said guide channel attached to said blade to guide the same, and means on said head for engaging said blade.

ISAAC APPELBUM. 

